Christmas Mischief
by Passionate Cec
Summary: SG-1 shares their first Christmas together and Daniel has something up his sleeve that Sam and Jack might appreciate very much. Beware of the loose fluffy bunnies running around the place.
1. Chapter 1

Hey there. This is a little Christmas story that came to me after tonight. It's fluffy and cheesy and has probably been done a thousand times in just about every possible fandom. But for me, those stories never get old, so I hope it's the same thing for you and you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

This one is set during the first season, on SG-1's first Christmas.

Unfortunately, even on Christmas (Eve) Stargate SG-1 and its characters don't belong to me. I make no money with this story. Its sole purpose is entertainment. No copyright infringement intended.

I think a nice little Christmas present would be to tell me what you think about this. Leave a little review on your way out. It will make me very, very happy. And being generous is part of the Christmas spirit, isn't it? :)

Enjoy. :)

And have yourselves a Very Merry Little Christmas.

**Christmas Mischief**

Daniel smiled as he opened his last present. Everyone else on SG-1 had already opened them and there had been flurries of laughter and teasing. It had taken quite a while for Teal'c as he had seemed to question just about every tradition. Finding a present for him had been quite the task and he knew Jack and Sam had felt the same way about it. When he looked up again, he noticed that Sam and Jack were reclined on the couch. Jack's arm was resting behind her shoulders on the back of the couch but neither seemed to notice that gesture, nor the way their knees touched every now and then.

It was completely innocent and he didn't doubt for a second that there was absolutely nothing hidden behind Jack's fingers brushing against Sam's shoulder or Sam's hand resting casually on his knee as she leaned forward to grab her glass from the coffee table. But it did speak volumes about the comfort and trust the two officers had developed around each other. Despite their initial hesitation and wariness towards one another – he had heard something about reproductive organs, Major Matt Masson and arm wrestling – they had developed a great friendship and the few months they had worked together seemed to have brought them closer than many friends who had known each other for years. But then again, what they did on a daily basis, the dangers they faced and the ordeals they went through were nothing if not a way to quickly create strong and lasting bonds.

Daniel watched as Jack stood up and slipped a CD into the player before turning back to Sam and extending a hand as soft and slow music which he would never have thought Jack listened to filled the room. Daniel briefly wondered whether Jack had planned to play that music and had lengthily looked for the perfect CD, finally finding this in some dark and dusty corner of his house, or whether it always sat so out in the open, accessible at any given time.

'To dance, Captain?' Jack asked in an utterly gentlemanly manner which contrasted with his casual jeans and black sweater. The blonde smiled brightly and slipped her hand into Jack's.

'With pleasure, sir.' He pulled her up and against him and she giggled.

'No giggling, Captain. And, Carter, We're about to dance, you can't call me sir.'

'Yes, Colonel.' He glared and she grinned all too innocently, her smile bright, her blue eyes twinkling. 'But you can't call me Captain either. Or Carter for that matter.'

'Deal.'

They smiled and Jack walked out from between the couch and table, still holding Sam's hand and pulling her with him until they were standing in a bit of an open area, close to the decorated and brightly lit Christmas tree. Jack spun Sam once and she laughed, smiling up at him again when he pulled her against him at a friendly and reasonable distance. Daniel smiled from his spot in one of the lazy boys. It felt good to see his two friends so at ease with one another and so relaxed. It was rare to see Jack drop his guard and let go and it was even rarer to see Sam laugh so much and just have a good time.

Daniel looked up and, all of a sudden, his eyebrows kissed his hairline. He looked from the couple's heads back to what he had seen. Several times. Seeing the grins on their faces and the way Jack leaned in to whisper something in Sam's ear, making her laugh freely, he decided he would give them a few more instants of innocence. But there was absolutely no way he would be letting Jack out of the loop for that. He knew Sam would end up an unsuspecting and undeserving victim but it was the price that had to be paid to see Colonel Jack O'Neill well and truly uncomfortable. And all in all, he was pretty sure Sam wouldn't mind her fate. He snickered and felt Teal'c look at him, his eyebrow risen as was his custom. He ignored it and returned to his thought. It wouldn't be the first time it happened. And from what he had heard, despite the uneasy, uncomfortable and definitely awkward circumstances, neither had minded in the least. So maybe under more favorable circumstances, they would be able to truly enjoy this to its full and delightful extend.

When the song changed and Sam laughed again, looking a little bit shocked when Jack dropped a kiss high on her cheekbone, but smiling nonetheless, Daniel decided it was time to strike. He cleared his throat, but neither noticed and they just continued smiling and swaying to the soft music.

'Uh, Jack?' The Colonel looked at him, his arms still around Sam. 'Since when do you hang mistletoe in your house?' Jack's eyebrows jumped to his hairline, mirroring Daniel's expression just moments earlier. He looked up and cursed while Sam's face was expressionless. 'Were you expecting something, Jack?' Daniel teased and he could see Sam tense and step back, though Jack's arm around her waist and the one that held her hand kept her close.

'No I wasn't.' He snapped, glaring at Daniel before turning to look into Sam's wide eyes. 'I swear, Sam, I didn't try anything. I'd completely forgotten I hung it there.' Sam nodded slowly, smiling gently.

'It's okay. I believe you, sir.'

'Sam.' She grinned again.

'Jack.' He nodded, satisfied. They seemed to have forgotten Daniel but he did not let them off the hook that easily.

'So, Jack, are you going to do something about it?' Jack's glare couldn't be mistaken, though the way his thumb gently circled on the small of Sam's back confirmed that he wouldn't mind so terribly. He turned to look down at her and she shrugged, smiling gently.

'It's tradition. I don't think anyone will mind. And it's not as if they need to know.' Her voice was a mere whisper and Daniel had to make an effort to hear her words. Jack's face softened and his smile brightened.

'You sure?' She shot him a teasing smile.

'You seem quite reluctant to kiss me. Am I really that bad?' Jack chuckled and shook his head.

'You know you are far from bad.' He whispered in her ear.

Daniel grinned when he saw Jack press a kiss to her cheek before moving to her lips. They shared one last look and he thought he saw Sam nod imperceptibly. But it was certainly mostly the look in her eyes that confirmed she was certain about what she was doing. Jack smiled and leaned down the last remaining inch, pressing his lips to Sam's. He was about to pull back but Sam's hand slid from his shoulder to the back of his neck and she kept him from moving away. She parted their lips just an instant to whisper something which Daniel thought might have been along the lines of 'do you really think Daniel will content himself with just that?' _Smart woman that she was._ And then she pressed her lips back to Jack's.

And sparks flew. Daniel would have liked to look away, knowing that he was intruding on a private moment. Sure this had started as a friendly kiss under the mistletoe and would end and be remembered as such. But at that moment, he realized the sexual tension he had thought he felt once or two between his two friends was indeed real and he was watching the lust come to as high a peak and as good a resolution as it ever could.

Sam nibbled on Jack's lower lip but Jack did not leave it at that. Taking control of the kiss, he slipped his tongue into Sam's mouth and their tongues dueled for power for longer than he thought was possible. He could only imagine how they explored each other's mouth, tasting, discovering, graving into their memories. When they were about to pull back, he noticed that they both, in a silent agreement, decided to prolong the kiss as long as they could, dropping sweet and soft little kisses to each other's lips, nibbling gently, longingly, lovingly. Daniel startled at that and decided it was a trail that was better left unexplored.

All through their passionate kiss, Jack's hands had remained chastely and safely on Sam's hips, though Daniel could see that his thumbs had slipped under the hem of her sweater, probably even further until he could touch her soft and warm skin. Not that he had any particular knowledge of Sam's skin, especially the skin of her side, but he imagined it to be soft and warm. One of Sam's hands had settled on the back of his neck, fingertips gently playing with the strands of Jack's hair while the other one had circled his body and was flat between his shoulder blades, holding him to her.

Finally, they pulled apart, both a bit out of breath but grinning brightly. Jack leaned down and pressed one kiss to her cheek and one to her forehead. She smiled and squeezed the back of his neck before her hand slid down his back and settled at his hip. Jack turned to look at Daniel.

'That good enough for you, Space Monkey?' Daniel grinned.

'I don't know. That enough for you two?'

They turned to look at each other and he could see a whole conversation going on in just a few seconds. But he didn't understand a sliver of it. The way they were able to communicate while they barely knew each other had always fascinated him and this time was particularly intriguing as it held a weight and an emotion it never had before. Jack kissed her forehead again before taking a step back, his hands lingering on her forearms. He turned to Daniel with a grin.

'Yep, we're done.' He turned to back to Sam and winked. 'For this year.'


	2. Chapter 2

Hi there. Here is chapter 2 which I thought up this afternoon. I already have a whole bunch of ideas for further chapters so I should be posting quite soon.

I hope you will like this. And, as usual, let me know what you think while I start on season 3. :D

Enjoy. :)

**Chapter 2**

This year, they had agreed they would celebrate Christmas as a team at Daniel's place. It was smaller and didn't have a nice little backyard but it didn't really matter. It was Christmas and snowing outside anyway so they wouldn't have camped outside had they been at the Colonel's place either way. Sam had offered her help finish preparing everything for the evening and had arrived several hours before Jack and Teal'c. She had decorated the tree, chastising her friend for not getting one earlier – even she had bought one a couple of weeks earlier. He had proceeded to prepare food, banning her from the kitchen, fearing for the food and his friends' lives. She had glared at him but had found his Christmas decorations and had made his small and museum like apartment a comfortable place to spend Christmas Eve with friends.

She remembered hesitating before accepting his offer, hoping her father would come home for a couple of days to spend Christmas with her. Getting an invitation from Mark had only been wishful thinking and she hadn't dared call him to offer a truce and Christmas as a family. Then she had remembered the previous year, how loved she had felt during that evening with her team. Her boys. No one knew or should know that was what she called them when she thought about them with fondness, affection and love. And then she had remembered Jack O'Neill. Her CO. Who had been anything but a Commanding Officer that night. He had been friendly and had shown more affection than she ever remembered him expressing. His smiles and his laughter had filled the room along with the rest of SG-1's.

And then he had asked her to dance. His offer had been honest and his smile had almost been loving. She could clearly remember the touch of his hand holding hers, his thumb just barely caressing her skin. She could remember the feel of his arm around her waist, unashamedly holding her close to him. Much closer than they should. She smiled to herself as she thought of his lips against her ear, whispering jokes and forbidden but barely concealed sweet nothings to her. His warm and just inebriated enough breath against her skin and in her hair had made her weak in the knees. And it had been a good enough excuse for him to bring her closer to him. He had grinned at her cheekily and she had smiled sweetly, just barely holding back a sigh when his lips had brushed her cheek, gently and repeatedly dropping feather light kisses against her blushing and heated skin.

It was then that Daniel had mentioned the little plant hanging above their heads. Jack had argued against the tradition, mostly for the sake of it and because it annoyed Daniel. But in a way, she knew he didn't mind it at all. The way his lips and tongue had made love to hers after she had reminded him that their friend would want more than that had certainly confirmed her suspicion. His sweet and gentle kisses had left her craving for more and he had obviously agreed if his words to answer Daniel's question had been any indication.

'For this year.' She remembered his teasing smile and wink before he said the words. And for a whole year she had hoped he would keep his not quite silent promise. If she was being truly honest, it was what she was most looking forward to this Christmas.

The door bell ringing was what pulled her out of her thoughts. Sam joined Daniel at the door and smiled at the two last members of SG-1. The way Jack undressed her with his eyes before stepping in and slipping his arms around her waist was telling enough. They had the same idea in mind about what would be happening later that night. He held her a little bit too tight and his lips touched her skin just a little too long to be only friendship and she couldn't but smile at the knowledge that he was longing for her as much as she was longing for him. Were it only for his arms around her and his lips against her or for much more.

The whole evening, they remained pretty close, smiling when neither Teal'c nor Daniel argued their being the ones to share the couch. And no one said anything when his arm casually rested on the back of the couch or when she leaned back against it so that her shoulders were just barely touching his arm. Nor didn't anyone mention his standing right behind her to grab the eggnog in the fridge so that his chest was pressed to her back. Sam thought she felt his fingers gently playing with her hair as they quietly chatted and started exchanging presents. Actually, she was quite sure she was right, but she didn't give any indication that she realized or that she minded and when she looked up at him out of the corner of her eyes, his face was the same as ever as Daniel tried to convince him that some mythology or another was, in fact, more than just lies and fairytales.

After opening all the presents, they all agreed to some more pie and Jack asked Sam to help him. She frowned, wondering whether he was planning something or if he had chosen her for no particular reason. They grabbed the plates on the table and walked to the kitchen, setting them back on the counter to serve them each a piece of pie. She was about to do so when she felt Jack slip his hand in hers and pull her towards the door that led to the hallway. She frowned at the gesture but allowed her fingers to tangle with his. It felt good to finally be able to touch him again. She pushed the thought back, trying to control her emotions and pretend her heart didn't miss a beat anytime she was with him. Two when he touched her, smiled at her or looked at her just the right way. She wasn't supposed to feel those feelings but she found it impossible to push them back when she looked into those soft and gentle chocolate eyes.

'Look up.' He whispered.

He squeezed her hand and pulled her closer until she was resting against him. She looked up and smiled, looking back down at him. His grin reminded him of an exited school boy waiting for his Christmas present. And in a way, she supposed they were waiting for their Christmas presents. One they had been waiting for during the whole year and one they finally got the chance to open.

Jack leaned down and kissed her forehead. Sam closed her eyes and waited for his lips to touch hers, sighing when they did. She nibbled at his lower lip and Jack groaned, his tongue pushing past her lips and into her mouth. One of his arms circled her waist, bunching up the hem of her sweater and shirt so his hand could settle over the skin of her side. The other one slipped to the back of her head, his fingers threading through her hair and holding her to him much like her hand on the back of his neck held him to her. She fisted her hand in the back of his sweater and moaned into his mouth, their tongues still battling for power.

Sam let out a moan of disappointment when their lips parted and she felt Jack smile against her lips. He pressed his lips to hers again, gently nibbling her lower lip and kissing her gently and sweetly. He had done the same thing a year earlier and she wasn't surprised to feel the same desire to let him hold her for a short eternity, having him kiss her oh-so sweetly and oh-so softly. But they both pulled back and Jack smiled, his hand moving to cup her cheek. He kissed her one last time before pulling her into him, both his arms tight around her. She breathed him in and felt him do the same as his lips pressed multiple kisses to the side of her neck.

She tightened her arms around him when she heard him whisper 'you're beautiful.' His gentle words continued for a while longer and Sam thought her heart would stop beating any moment. She felt overwhelmed with affection – and something much stronger and much more powerful – for him, leaving her heart beating hard against her rib cage and leaving her wishing she could always stay in his arms. He pulled back again and looked straight into her eyes.

'God, I wish we could do more.' She smiled and looked up at the mistletoe.

'We're already stretching the boundaries pretty far.'

'I know. Next year?'

'It's a date.' She answered with a grin. He sighed and leaned his forehead against hers.

'I wish it were.'

He kissed her forehead and her lips one last time. They returned to the kitchen and served the pie before returning to the living room. Daniel smiled up at them with a knowing grin. He waited until they both sat down, watching their interaction. Nothing had changed and yet he could tell that the mistletoe he had hung in the doorway had served its purpose.

'Long time to serve a couple of pieces of pie.'

Jack's gaze turned to Sam and he shot her a smile which she couldn't help but return. She felt his hand on the back of her neck again and sighed, biting into a piece of pie. He gently squeezed once before settling his arm completely on the back of the couch, his fingers just barely brushing her shoulder and turned back to Daniel.

'Things to do. Year old stuff to deal with.' He cryptically answered.

But Sam and he knew full well his two friends were perfectly aware of what they had been doing back there. She didn't mind. After all, he was the one who had pushed them into kissing each other a year earlier. And he was the one who had hung the mistletoe, knowing what it meant and knowing they would be looking for such an opportunity. She bit into her pie and leaned back, feeling Jack's arm casually swung around her shoulders and his fingers squeezing the top of her arm once.

As she looked around the room, she couldn't help but think that this was the best Christmas one could hope for. To be surrounded by friends and a man for whom she was definitely starting to have feelings she certainly shouldn't have. To know these feelings were most likely returned. And to receive as a Christmas present, the chance to act upon those feelings once in a year, thanks to the best friends she could possibly hope for.

Now if only the year could pass faster.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey there. Here's chapter 3. This is SG-1 we are talking about and they have gotten two good Christmases in a row. Something had to happen. So here it is. I hope I did well and the story is realistic enough.

Please, leave a little review. I haven't received many even though I've had quite a lot of readers.

Enjoy. :)

Chapter 3

The Major moaned in pain from her corner of the cell and Jack turned to look at her. He was the one sitting closest to her and he could clearly see that she wasn't doing so well. He only hoped that she wouldn't be sick again. He saw her hand move towards her injured shoulder and warned her with one exclamation of 'Major!' She understood and groaned an apology, moving around some, obviously trying to find a better and more comfortable position. He looked at his watch – for once the goa'uld had let them keep it – and sighed. Christmas Eve. They had been due back over twenty four hours ago. And they should be at his place, sitting around the fire place, enjoying dinner and pie, opening their presents. And he should be meeting Sam under the mistletoe so they could share their traditional Christmas kiss.

Instead, they were trapped in a goa'uld cell, unarmed, grimy and definitely worse for the wear. His Major had a dislocated shoulder and apparently a broken clavicle. Daniel seemed to have a concussion and had misplaced his glasses. Teal'c was getting over a staff wound to the arm. And Jack's knees were acting up. His stomach grumbled and he remembered they hadn't had anything to eat – if MRE's counted as eating, which they didn't – in way too long. Though he suspected food wouldn't do Sam much good. She looked pale and he was pretty sure she would throw up anything she ate.

He eyed the make do sling. It wasn't much and she seemed to be carrying most of the weight of her arm with her left hand. He scooted closer and his fingers brushed her thigh. She opened her eyes and turned to look at him with weary and tired eyes. He offered her a smile and she tried to return it but failed miserably.

'Want me to try and tighten that, Major?' He asked, motioning for the sling.

She shot her injured shoulder a hesitant and wary look before looking back up at him and nodding. He smiled comfortingly and squeezed her thigh once before focusing his attention on the sling. He undid the knot and heard her moan. When he looked up at her face, he noticed she had paled some more. He hadn't thought it possible at that point but he had been mistaken. He set the dark fabric which used to be his shirt on the ground next to him and one of his hands moved to her torn shirt while the other one supported her elbow. He tugged at the shirt a bit to check out her collarbone and winced when he saw the huge and nasty bruise. _Yep, definitely broken._ He tried to lower the hem of the shirt some more to really take in the extend of the bruise but she hissed in pain.

'Sir?' She asked, her voice laced with pain. He looked up and gave up on giving her wound a full check up. It wasn't like there was anything he could do anyway.

'You'll need to get that checked out soon, Major.' He informed as he tied a knot on her other shoulder to keep the sling in place.

'I would if I could, sir.'

'I know, Major.' He tested the knot one last time before letting go of her elbow. She let out a whimper and Jack couldn't help but feel sorry for her. 'How's that?' She looked at him again and smiled slightly.

'Okay, sir.' She whispered. Her voice lowered some more as she admitted to a weakness which, in and of itself was more telling than anything else. 'It was better when I could rest it on your hand. But it's okay.'

He shot her a sympathetic smile and looked around the cell. Teal'c seemed to be deep in kel'no'reem and Daniel was nursing his worsening headache. It wasn't as if this was something their two friends didn't know about. And he had the excuse of the day. It didn't matter that they were trapped somewhere on another planet, it was still Christmas Eve. He stepped onto Sam's other side. She frowned and her eyes followed his moves as he settled down to her left, back against the wall of the cell. He lifted his arm up and around her shoulders.

'C'mere.' He mumbled. She frowned again but let him maneuver her until her back was more or less pressed to his chest and his hand had settled under her forearm. He heard her sigh and saw her close her eyes. 'Good?' She nodded against his shoulder and turned her head until her forehead was pressed against the side of his neck.

'It feels a lot better. Thank you, sir.' She whispered.

'Remember what day it is?' He asked against the top of her head.

'No idea how much time has passed, sir. I'm feeling a bit disoriented.'

'Christmas Eve.'

She looked up and he saw the brightest smile on her face he had seen since they stepped through the gate and all hell broke loose. He lifted his free hand to her cheek and caressed it with one knuckle.

'It's good to see you smile.' He whispered.

'I'd smile brighter if there were mistletoe.'

Jack made a show of checking over their heads and the rest of the ceiling. Sam chuckled but was interrupted by a moan. He tightened his hand on her elbow to give her more support. She looked up again and smiled. Jack leaned down and kissed her forehead.

'Does there really need to be?'

'It gives us an excuse. Without it we shouldn't even be considering this.' He chuckled against her forehead.

'You're in pain Sam. You've got a broken bone, a dislocated shoulder and no morphine. You really shouldn't be able to reason like this.'

'It's what I do.'

'I know. Can we pretend you weren't reasoning clearly? Or that we were under some alien influence?' She grinned.

'Remember, Jack, nobody needs to know.' He smiled and kissed her forehead again.

'Okay, sometimes your reasoning can be a good thing. Teal'c and Daniel know, though.'

'They've known for a long time. And they're part of the family.'

'They are.'

They smiled at each other and Jack's hand slipped from the side of her neck to her chin, lifting it up until he could press his lips to hers. She sighed into his mouth, her lips parting under his and Jack smiled again. The kiss was softer and more tender than the two previous ones had been. Their position did not allow much movement and she was injured anyway. His free hand moved to flatten on her abdomen. And he couldn't resist respecting his tradition and slipping his hand under her shirt so he could touch and explore her soft and warm skin. He allowed her tongue to explore the depths of his mouth, deciding to let her take control of the kiss. This wasn't about power. This was about comfort, reassurance, love.

He finally dared think the word and he felt himself soften and relax some more against her. Her lips against his, her tongue in his mouth, one of her hands covering his over her abdomen, allowing him access to places of her body he didn't have a right to touch, places he definitely shouldn't be touching and probably shouldn't even be thinking about, made him believe and hope that his feelings weren't completely one sided.

He sighed against her lips again and she pulled back, kissing his jaw once before settling back against his shoulder, nuzzling his neck and kissing his skin every once in a while. For once, he didn't remove his hand from her body. His hand remained safely and warmly tucked under her shirt, flat and immobile against her muscular belly. But he had an excuse. Her hand was still covering his, almost limp and unresponsive over his skin, but there nonetheless. He kissed the top of her head.

'Think we could organize a late Christmas Eve dinner when we get home. And sneak a kiss or two under the mistletoe.' She chuckled and smiled against his skin.

'Maybe we could. I think Daniel and Teal'c will agree. But our real and official date is still next year.' He nodded and kissed the top of her head again. 'Only catch is that we need to get out of here for that.' He wrinkled his nose and looked around once more, as if he hadn't already done so a thousand times since they had been thrown and abandoned in that cage.

'We'll get out of here.' He promised. 'Somehow. I've got something to look forward to.' Sam chuckled and looked up again, her eyes twinkling slightly.

'So do I.' She whispered. And winced. 'I think I'm going to nap for a while. The pain is getting worse and I don't see anything we can do so far.'

'Yeah, you do that. You okay here?'

'I'm more than okay.' He chuckled.

'Thought so. You gonna dream about next year?'

When she didn't answer, he looked down. She was already asleep, a slight smile tugging at her lips, even though she was still far too pale. Yes, next year he would make sure he could kiss her under better circumstances.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey there. Happy New Year! I hope you all had a good time on Christmas and New Year's Eve and I hope your year is starting out well.

Here's the fourth chapter which I just finished writing. It's longer than the previous ones but I don't think anyone will complain. And I'm pretty sure at least a couple of people who reviewed will be very happy because I listened to their "advise" and/or wish.

I hope you guys like this. Unfortunately, I'm afraid season 5 will have to be angsty because my goal is to stay as much in canon as possible and we all know what happened after _Entity_.

As usual, let me know what you think. Reviews make me very happy. :D

Enjoy. :)

Chapter 4

Sam grinned brightly when Jack opened his front door. She knew she was early but she also knew that he wouldn't mind, quite on the contrary. For a second, she wondered if he would pull her against him and kiss her silly right then and there. But he only pulled her against him, one hand slipping around her waist, the other one to the back of her head as he pressed his lips against the side of her neck. She sighed and closed her eyes, her arms circling his neck as they held each other tighter than they ever had. After the Zat'arc incident, their leaving it in the room had been a tacit agreement that they wouldn't talk about their feelings for each other and that they wouldn't pursue a relationship but that there was nothing wrong with a long and powerful hug there or a sweet and loving kiss then.

He pulled back and, to her surprise, pecked her lips once before slipping his hand into hers and tugging her inside the house. She followed him into the kitchen and they worked quietly for a good hour, finishing up the last decorations in the living room, preparing the cake and making sure they had everything they needed. They didn't mention the way his hand settled on her hip when he leaned past her to grab a beer in the fridge, nor the way she leaned back into him after they had put up the last bit of tinsel and they were admiring their work. The fact that his arms circled her waist from behind so he could hold her close wasn't discussed either.

He dropped a kiss to her covered shoulder and squeezed her waist once before turning around to move back to the kitchen. But just at that moment, there was a knock at the door. Sam looked over her shoulder at him and moved towards the door, opening it to find a smiling Daniel and an impassive Teal'c. She smiled at them and pulled them each into a tight and warm hug. Jack and briefly hugged Daniel, patting him on the back, but he stopped and shook his head while looking at Teal'c.

'Nah, I like you Teal'c but that's just too weird.'

'I do not wish to hug you either O'Neill.'

They laughed and Teal'c raised an eyebrow before following them into the living room where they automatically claimed their usual seats. Sam and Jack were sitting next to one another on the couch and it wasn't long before his arm slipped around her shoulders and she leaned into him, a bit more than they usually did. She was completely tucked against his side and it took all her might not to rest her head on his shoulder when his hand settled on her side, his fingers gently tapping an unknown and silent rhythm against her warm navy blue sweater which just happened to be the present she had received from him about a year earlier.

She shuddered as she remembered where they had spent the previous Christmas. Trapped in some unnamed and unimportant goa'uld's cell, bruised and battered, injured and unarguably worse for the wear. It had taken a Jaffa's lack of attention to get out of the cell and run out of what had turned out to be yet another ship. They had even managed to blow it up before they escaped through the nearby stargate. To this day, they still didn't know whom they had killed. Teal'c hadn't recognized the symbol on the Jaffas' foreheads and Daniel hadn't been able to do much with the little he had been able to understand through the haze of his massive concussion and blurry sight.

Sam snuggled deeper into the warm sweater which had quickly become her favorite and which she wore as often as she could. The light and happiness in Jack's eyes when he had seen it on her the first time – just a few days after they make up Christmas Eve – was the main reason though she wasn't likely to admit that any time soon. And she had thought it would be appropriate enough to wear it this time. Their Christmas Eves were certainly casual enough that she didn't need to dress up and could wear her warm, soft and incredibly comfortable sweater. She already dreaded the day it would be too worn and that she would have to throw it away. Or rather, leave it in her closet because even if she couldn't wear it anymore, there was no way she would throw it away. It meant too much to her.

She sighed in delight when the memory of the dreadful days they had spent in the cell – and the consecutive days in the infirmary – was pushed out of her mind by the memory of the night at Jack's place just a few days later. Her shoulder had still been very painful and in a sling which she hadn't even tried to argue against. Much like this year, she had been early and Jack had told her to settle down comfortably on the couch which she _had_ argued against. After all, his knee had been sprained pretty badly. In the end he had agreed to let her help and had smiled victoriously when she had failed. She had glared and grumbled gracelessly before making her way back to the couch.

When Teal'c and Daniel had joined them they had all settled down in the living room with hot chocolate and tea – Janet had made it clear that she would come after them with her biggest needles if she found out one of them had touched as much as a drop of beer while they were still on their meds. Sam had shamelessly curled into Jack. She had realized afterwards that said meds were the reason she had been feeling so loopy and that her only desire was to be hugged and kissed warmly. And he had definitely been the perfect person to turn to for that. Both Daniel and Teal'c had raised an eyebrow when they first saw their two friends so comfortably and domestically tucked around one another.

But after the first few kisses that Jack had dropped to the top of Sam's head, they had gone back to the conversation, not mentioning a thing when the two Air Force officers had left the room simultaneously and silently made their way to the kitchen, under the mistletoe he had hung. Jack's arms had found their way around her waist and he had pulled her into him to kiss her. His kiss had been softer, deeper and more sensual than she had ever been kissed and she had been glad his arms had been tight and warm around her or she would have dropped to the floor in a boneless heap. Later, she had mentally blamed the meds for that excess of sentimentality and sensitivity.

'God, I don't want today to end.' Jack had mumbled against her lips and Sam had sighed.

'That, or it has to be next year already.'

His only answer had been to slip his tongue into her mouth again.

And next year was finally there. She looked up. He had probably noticed her moving because, at the same time, he looked down and smiled at her. She smiled back and felt him squeeze her side once before they both turned back to Daniel.

Later that night, Sam frowned when she noticed Jack had three presents for her. Two seemed to be identical and the frown deepened. She looked up at him and shot him a questioning look. He only motioned for her to open the presents. She grabbed one of the two identical ones and opened it, grinning when she saw the sweater inside. It was the same as the one she was wearing. She looked up at Jack and he shrugged.

'You seem to like it. So I thought you might like to have another in case you lose this one or something happens to it.'

The grin on her face only widened at that. The look on his face was the most adorable thing she had ever seen and she pulled him in for a long hug. One of his hands settled low on her back and the other one slipped under her hair and cupped the back of her neck.

'As much as I love hugging you, Sam, maybe you should open the other ones before you thank me.' She nodded and pulled, back going for the second present. It was, again, the same sweater and she chuckled, grinning but shaking her head at Jack.

'Think I'm dressed for the next ten years, now?'

'I wouldn't mind if you weren't.' He suggestively murmured, his eyes moving up and down her body.

Sam choked on a gulp of beer she had just taken and barely managed to lift her hand in time before she sprayed everything on the sweater. Jack lifted a hand to tap on her back while she grabbed a napkin and wiped the beer off her hand and chin. Daniel shot her a worried look.

'Sam? You okay?'

'Fine.' She squeaked before shooting Jack an angry glare. He chuckled and shrugged. She smiled and shook her head before setting the sweater down next to her on the couch. 'Just let me wash up a bit.' She muttered before standing up and moving to the bathroom.

She only noticed Jack had followed her when she saw his reflection in the mirror. She grinned at him and he smiled back, stepping forward to slip his arms around her waist while she washed her hands and rinsed her face. She sighed when she felt his warm lips on the side of her neck, kissing their way down and past the collar of the sweater. Her hands covered his and she leaned back into him, her head rolling back against his shoulder to give him better access. He grinned before nibbling and sucking on her delicate skin. _Probably enough to leave a telltale hickey._ Sam mused. She groaned and tried to pull away from his warm and gentle kisses.

'I don't see any mistletoe here.' She mumbled, sighing when his tongue played with her earlobe for a while.

'We both know there's some in the house. Whether we're under it or not doesn't matter. Besides, it didn't stop us last year.'

'True enough, I guess.'

She whirled around in his arms and harshly pressed her lips to his, her tongue immediately caressing his lower lip, begging for entrance which he instantly granted. Their tongues battled for power, exploring territory that was starting to get quite familiar. Jack's hands slipped under her sweater and under her shirt until he could touch the warm skin of her back. He sighed into the kiss as if he had finally found the one thing that could keep him alive. As far as he knew, it wasn't even that much of a stretch. His hands flattened on her back and moved up until they were settled over her shoulder blades, holding her as close as their clothes allowed. She moaned into the kiss and arched her back, pressing her round breasts against his chest further.

Without a thought, his hands move back down her back to cup her butt. He lifted her up and set her down on the bathroom counter, standing between her parted legs, his lips still firmly pressed against hers as their tongues continued dueling with each other. His hands moved to the waistband of her pants and his fingertips brushed the top of her panties as he parted his lips from hers and dropped his forehead to her shoulder.

'God, I want you so much.' He mumbled, his arms circling her waist again and holding her tight. One of her hands curled around the back of his neck while the other one was flat between his shoulder blades, holding him close.

'I know. So do I. But we can't.'

'Screw the regs.' He froze and frowned against her shoulder. 'Wrong word.'

'Very accurate word, actually.' He chuckled and his arms tightened some more around her. 'But that's not the only reason we can't.'

'You're the smart one here; you'll have to explain your reasoning.' Her fingers threaded through his hair and tugged gently.

'Well for one, Daniel and Teal'c are just a couple of rooms away.'

'We can wait until after they're gone. You can stay here tonight.'

'I wish I could. But if we get into this tonight, I don't think we'll be able to stop and keep it a one time thing.'

'Who says I want this to be a one time thing?'

'I know you don't. I don't either. But the regs are there for a reason and the past few weeks have shown that the reasons are actually pretty damn accurate. As depressing and unnerving as that may sound.' Sam reasoned. Jack let out an incomprehensible grunt and stepped closer into her embrace. 'And the program still needs us. We can't risk getting court martialed and being dishonorably discharged because we weren't strong enough when the SGC and Earth need us the most.' He grunted again.

'Damn it, Sam. Didn't I say you needed to stop thinking and reasoning?' She chuckled and pressed her cheek against his.

'You did. But one of us needs to remain clearheaded.' He huffed.

'I'm glad you're able to do that.'

'You have no idea how hard it is.'

'Sam!' He groaned in a warning tone.

'What?'

'Definitely the wrong word.'

'Sorry.'

Her hands moved to cup his cheeks and she lifted his head from her shoulder to press their lips together again. They moaned into the kiss and their tongues resumed their dance before Sam pulled back, pecking his lips one last time. Her hands pushed a bit on his shoulders so she could slip off the counter.

'Come on, we need to get back or Daniel is going to send a search party.' She smiled sweetly at him before she slipped away from him, her fingers tangling with his. She was about to pass the door when she felt him tug at her hand.

'Sam?' She looked at him over her shoulder. 'I don't want to leave it in the room.' She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she looked back up at him, she looked more conflicted than he had ever seen her.

'Neither do I.' She whispered. 'But we don't have a choice.' They looked straight at each other for a while before Jack nodded.

'Yeah. But should you change your mind, you know where to find me.' She nodded and squeezed his fingers once, smiling sweetly.

'I do.' She was about to turn around but he pulled her back against him and kissed her once more before pulling back and resting his forehead against hers.

'Next year?' He whispered.

'Definitely.'

'Good. I'll look forward to it.'

'Me too.'

They smiled at each other before Sam pulled away and tugged at his hand, only letting go of him when they reached the living room again. Once more, she found herself wishing the year would pass faster. But, as she leaned back into Jack, she knew very well that the wait would be as long and awful as the previous years. She sighed and leaned against him further, deciding to enjoy this very special night as much as possible. After all, it wasn't every day that she could cuddle up with Jack.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey guys. Sorry for the wait. I start writing other Stargate fics and then, when I meant to finish this chapter, my readers count died on me so I didn't want to post while I didn't know how many readers I actually had. Now it's back so I finished this chapter and will be posting another fic in a little bit.

This is a bit angsty but it _is_ season 5 after all so there wasn't much else I could do.

Hope you like this. Leave me a little review to tell me how you liked it. :D

Enjoy. :)

(Thanks to Ayeshajen for pointing out a little mistake which made me realize that the sentence she offered was better than the one I had thought of in the first place. ;P)

Chapter 5

Jack looked up from the fire and accepted the cup of coffee Daniel had just handed him. Technically, it was just another night off world, around a campfire. They had walked ten clicks during the day before reaching the temple that had caught all of Daniel's interest. There was also something about a machine or some kind of a doohickey that Carter was interested in as well. The two scientists had worked and geeked out, helped out by Teal'c for translations while he kept watch of the area and explored a bit. When twilight had approached, they had set camp and sat down around the fire to munch on their MRE's. Everything about the day said it was just another mission off world.

But it wasn't. It was Christmas Eve. Hammond had apologized profusely about sending them off world on that day but he hadn't had a choice. The images they had received from the inside of the temple had indicated that the machine could potentially be used to fight the goa'uld and he hadn't wanted them to wait for holiday to be over before they went to investigate. So he was sitting by the fire, Carter sitting next to him, looking a bit cold if the way she had pulled up her collar as much as possible and was curled around herself was any indication. On the other side of the fire were Daniel and Teal'c.

It wasn't quite the Christmas Eve he would have hoped for. They hadn't been able to take their presents off world and it almost seemed a bit dull. They didn't have a Christmas tree or any Christmas decorations and the dark night around them was only broken by the flickering light of the fire. The sky was cloudy and they couldn't see any stars. He turned back to look at Sam. He had dreaded this day for a long time despite how much he had been waiting for it. The last Christmas kiss they had shared had been passionate and loving and he had thought that it would be the same this year. But then, the damned entity had taken her over and he had had to kill her. He tried to shake those memories away. Reliving those dreadful and horrible moments was the last thing he wanted. Especially the feelings that had been shaken and shattered repeatedly.

Since then, he had distanced himself from Sam whereas they had been closer than ever before. Their hands had touched as often as they could, the touch more or less innocent. They always stood closer than they needed so that their shoulders and arms were just barely brushing or so that he was standing close enough behind her to be able to catch just a whiff of the scent of her shampoo. He had almost wondered if they would damn the regs to hell and just give in to each other.

But they had resisted and after she had gotten over her very close brush with death he had pulled away from her. He had been cold and heartless to her, going as far as being a perfect jerk at times. He was conscious of that but he had needed to do it. The last time he had been in as much pain as when he had to pull the trigger of the zat that second time had been after Charlie died. The knowledge that she could die any day on a mission was nothing new but the pain that it would bring if it happened had been overwhelming and he had known that, for his own sanity, he had to distance himself from her. He couldn't remain close to her, having as close a relationship with her as they could ever have.

He had seen the hurt in her eyes the first time he had snapped at her and then stepped away from her soft and gentle hand on his arm. It had broken his heart. More so than actually pulling away from the touch that was so warm he just wanted to pull her against him and hold her. The pain and confusion in her gorgeous big blue eyes had almost been enough to break his resolve and he had had to turn away from them to resist the urge to take her hand, link their fingers and kiss her soft and sweet lips. She had tried to get close to him a few more times and he suspected she had even tried to talk to him, but he had pushed back every time she tried to get close to him. So she had given up and accepted it, still confused and hurt by his sudden change in demeanour. She probably knew what had caused him to change all of a sudden. Or at least she realized when it had started. She was certainly smart enough for that. But the worst was that she probably didn't understand why he had pulled back so suddenly and harshly.

She had gotten used to it and it hurt to see her accept his sudden change of heart without protest and to know how much it pained her. As he watched her sitting there, staring into her cup of tea, he couldn't help but wonder what she could possibly be thinking. There was a time he would have known just by seeing the look in her eyes what she was thinking about. Or at least, where her thoughts were. He wondered what he should do tonight. And he wondered what she expected of him. Had this happened just a few months ago, there wouldn't have been a doubt. They would have sneaked into the shadows and stolen a few kisses and hugs. He wanted to break his attitude and go up to her, take her by the hand and lead her in the shadows to steal a few kisses and hugs.

But he was afraid he would have to explain himself. And she deserved that explanation. She had every right to know why he had become a sudden jerk when just a few months earlier their Christmas kiss had been filled with enough love, passion and electricity to light up a small city. When he looked over at her again, her eyes met his. She looked shy, small and hesitant. Jack realized that she was asking herself the same question as he : what should she do tonight? Except she was the victim in this scheme. She was the one whom this had been inflicted on and she hadn't made the conscious choice to put up all barriers between them and keep him as far away as possible.

'Jack?' She breathed in a small voice.

It barely crossed to him over the sounds of rustling leaves behind them, nightlife all around and the wind that was blowing gently in their ears. He could hear all the unvoiced questions in that simple word. That simple name that held so much power and meaning for them.

He made his choice. He stood up and extended a hand to her. She looked up at him, big blue eyes wide. She tentatively slipped her hand into his and he pulled her up and started walking towards the nearest tree line, knowing that Daniel and Teal'c were ignoring their retreat. Of course the two men hadn't been oblivious to his sudden change of heart. Daniel had even addressed the issue. Jack had snapped at him more violently than he ever had. Samantha Carter and his relationship with the beautiful blonde was a tender subject that he preferred left unmentioned. When he stopped, Sam pulled her hand out of his. Her arms circled her body in a protective manner and she looked up at him, still obviously hesitant but he could see the war raging inside her mind. The accusation in her eyes was as clear as stream water.

He owed her an explanation.

Jack closed his eyes and breathed in deeply before opening them again. The look was still firmly set on her features.

'I'm sorry.' He whispered. His words seemed to surprise her and it spoke volumes about how much their relationship had deteriorated.

'Why?' She whispered.

'The entity.'

'What about it?'

'I had to kill you.' He admitted, deciding he owed her honesty with no hesitation, no beating around the bush. She frowned.

'I know.'

'It hurt me more than I thought possible. I couldn't let myself get close to you and face the possibility that one day you would die. I didn't want to get hurt.'

She looked down at her feet, her arms still tight around her torso and she nodded slowly. She looked back up and her face took his breath away. He had never thought it possible for a human being to express as much with just one look.

'But do you-?'

She didn't finish her question. She didn't need to. That much he still understood. He took one step forward until their bodies were barely a foot apart anymore. His hands grasped her arms a bit too tightly but she didn't flinch.

'Of course I do. That's why I had to do this.'

She nodded and started leaning forward, her eyes set on his as if questioning. Finally, she just let go and rested her forehead against his shoulder. His hand came to rest on the back of her neck and he gently squeezed it, resting his chin on top of her head. After a little while, she leaned into him fully, her chest pressed against his, her face tucked in the crook of his neck, her arms coming to circled his shoulders to hold him tight. And he held her equally tight, breathing in the scent of her hair. She pulled back a bit and looked up at him.

'Do I still get my Christmas kiss?' Jack chuckled and lifted a hand to caress her cheek.

'Yeah, you do.'

He leaned down the last inch and pressed his lips to hers. He pecked her lips repeatedly before gently nibbling at her lower lip, tugging softly, caressing it with the tip of his tongue. She willingly opened her mouth and his tongue slipped in. But the kiss wasn't nearly as passionate as the last year's. It was sweet and soft and when they pulled away, he simply continued pecking her lips.

'Samantha Carter, you are a very hard woman to get over.' He breathed against her lips before pulling her into him, tucking her head back on his shoulder.

'I never wanted you to get over me.'

'I know.' He tangled his fingers with hers and started pulling her back where they had come from. 'Come on, let's head back.' She nodded but stopped a second before they stepped back into the clearing.

'Jack? Do I have to get over you?' He smiled at her and pulled her back into him, kissing her forehead, his lips brushing her skin over and over again.

'I don't know. I still care about you much, much more than I'm supposed to. And no matter how hard I try, this won't go away so easily. If you can push your feelings back that easily, then maybe you should try.' She shook her head.

'I can't.'

'Okay. I just don't want you to get hurt again.' She chuckled wryly.

'It hurts every day. Just don't push me away without giving me a reason. That's what hurt. Not knowing what had made you change so suddenly.' He nodded and pressed one last kiss to her brow. 'Next year?' She whispered softly, pulling away to look at him.

'Absolutely.'


End file.
